In my tests it runs about twice as fast as Michael/Gabriel's array_reduce() method.

(Speaking of which: Gabriel's version doesn't work as written; it reports associative arrays as numeric if only the first key is non-numeric, or if the keys are numeric but ordered backwards. Michael solves this problem by comparing array_reduce() to count(), but that costs another function call; it also works to just compare to -1 instead of 0, and therefore return -1 as the ternary else from the callback).

I would change the order of the comparison, because if it is really an empty array, it is better to stop at that point before doing several 'cpu & memory intensive' function calls.

In the end on a ratio of 3 not empty arrays to 1 empty array computed for 1000000 iterations it needed 10% less time.Or the other way round:It needed approx 3% to 4% more time if the array is not empty, but was at least 4 times faster on empty arrays.

alex frase's example is fast but elanthis at awesomeplay dot com's example is faster and Ilgar's modification of alex's code is faulty (the part " || $_array[$k] !== $v"). Also, Ilgar's suggestion of giving a false return value when the variable isnt an array is not suitable in my opinion and i think checking if the array is empty would also be a suitable check before the rest of the code runs.

Will check a Multi-Dimentional Array to any specified level. This is a fix to 11/16/05 submission, which would break since you must supply a foreach with an array. Beware recursive functions shouldn't go over 100 deep or could break the memory stack on server.

The is_associative_array() and is_sequential_array() functions posted by 'rjg4013 at rit dot edu' are not accurate.

The functions fail to recognize indexes that are not in sequence or in order. For example, array(0=>'a', 2=>'b', 1=>'c') and array(0=>'a', 3=>'b', 5=>'c') would be considered as sequential arrays. A true sequential array would be in consecutive order with no gaps in the indices.

The following solution utilizes the array_merge properties. If only one array is given and the array is numerically indexed, the keys get re-indexed in a continuous way. The result must match the array passed to it in order to truly be a numerically indexed (sequential) array. Otherwise it can be assumed to be an associative array (something unobtainable in languages such as C).

is_array() under PHP 5.0.2 will return FALSE when passed an object descended from the internal class interface ArrayAccess(http://www.php.net/spl) even though said object behaves as an array would in most instances.

I've found the following user function helpful with my own classes and functions that expect array(s) as arguments, but work fine with objects that behave as an array would.